"We don't really have anything to do with the Ashes," Kane Williamson, the captain in McCullum's absence, said. It helps, no end, that the series played during March between these two teams was very competitive. Talk about flat pitches killing the game was off the mark - weather was the bigger factor in the first two Tests - and New Zealand came within one wicket of a famous victory in Auckland. That is enough for this return contest to be given the respect it deserves.

Always root for the underdogs. Not a fan of England. I respect their players a lot but I'm not a fan of their style. NZ has been very impressive so far though. We have a lot of hard work to do if we want to beat this team in October. Hope the planning and perpetration starts now.

53.5
Boult to Trott, OUT, oh what a cracker, edged and a superb catch at third slip. That is angled in towards Trott's middle and leg stumps, he's gone back to block but it has suddenly left him and taken a thick outside edge that is quite brilliantly held by a diving Brownlie, getting across wonderfully well to take it inches from the ground
IJL Trott c Brownlie b Boult 39 (96b 6x4 0x6) SR: 40.62

Key man Ross. We are doomed against NZ. They are very good against spin too. But the key for us will be how they adapt after 3 series of battling and practising so much against pace bowling and then to spin in BD.